Five years to be exact. Five years since the Bears have spent December in a playoff race instead of calculating draft-order permutations.

So let’s keep the draft-order spreadsheet closed this month and instead dust off this playoff-picture page. Each week for the remainder of the regular season, I will lay out the Bears’ postseason outlook, including scenarios and a rooting guide for fans for games that affect the Bears.

The main thing to know entering Week 14 is the Bears’ magic number to clinch the NFC North is three. Any combination of three Bears wins and Vikings losses would give the Bears their first division crown since 2010 and bring playoff football back to Soldier Field.

Of course, the magic number isn’t quite as clear-cut as in baseball, in which there are no ties. But if the Bears upset the Rams on Sunday night and the Vikings lose Monday night in Seattle, the Bears could clinch next week.

Scoreboard watching

Vikings at Seahawks, 7:15 p.m. Monday: The rule of thumb for any Bears fan, of course, is to root against the Vikings. If the Bears lose and the Vikings (plus 3) upset the Seahawks, each would have five losses. That would put them in a virtual tie, with the Vikings set to host the Bears in Week 17. In other words, the Bears’ advantage would disappear, and both teams would control their respective fate. It’s worth noting that since the Seahawks left Soldier Field in Week 2, they have lost to only two teams: the Rams and Chargers.

Cowboys at Eagles, 3:25 p.m. Sunday: The Bears should root against that trio of 6-6 teams to strengthen their safety net in case they lose their grip on the NFC North lead. Sure, the Cowboys and Bears might jockey for seeding, but the primary focus should be on making the tournament. The Eagles have won back-to-back games. Out of the three teams on the outside looking in, they’re the biggest threat. The Cowboys would take control of the NFC East with their fifth straight win.

Saints at Buccaneers, noon Sunday: Switching from worst-case scenarios to the best case, the Bears are chasing the Saints for the No. 2 seed and that first-round bye. (And, yes, this is another reason the Bears’ loss Sunday to the lowly Giants stings.) The Bears need the Saints to come back to them, so they’ll be pulling for the Bucs.

Panthers at Browns, noon Sunday: An interconference matchup is a no-brainer. A victory by the AFC team always helps the Bears. In this case, the Panthers have lost four straight. They play the Saints in two of their final three games, so it’s safe to say their season is at stake Sunday.